Need not worry too much about visa restrictions: Cabinet secy

WHILE CHIEF Economic Adviser (CEA) Arvind Subramanian on Friday stated that it would be a problem if India faces visa restrictions, cabinet secretary P K Sinha on Saturday said that India “need not worry too much about visa restrictions” as there are “ample opportunities here itself”.

“It would be extremely suboptimal economic state if the restrictions are imposed on the movements of goods and services across countries. We need not worry too much about visa restrictions. We will have ample opportunities here itself , thanks to people like you (industrialists),” said Sinha, while speaking at the annual session of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in New Delhi on Saturday.

“What is happening is that there is a growing realisation even among the developed countries that the employment opportunities should go the sons of the soil. And in order to create more employment opportunities, industries should be set up within the country... In order for India to take a lead in this process of globalisation, our industry would need to ensure that the quality of goods that we manufacture is not just as good as any country in the world, but even better than that,” Sinha added.

US President Donald Trump had earlier this month signed an executive order for tightening the rules of the H-1B visa programme to stop its “abuse” and ensure that the visas are given to the “mostskilled or highest paid” petitioners, a decision that would impact India’s $150 billion IT industry. Moreover, India has expressed concerns over the rising trend in other developed countries like Australia and New Zealand to put curbs on the movement of skilled professionals from India.

The Indian IT industry expressed serious concerns over Trump’s decision as the H-1B visas are mainly used by domestic IT professionals for shortterm work in America.